The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SHAUNAE Miller-Uibo became the latest high profile Bahamian athlete to use their platform to aid the Hurricane Dorian relief effort.

The national 200m record holder and reigning 400m Olympic champion pledged $25,000 to assist the rebuilding of churches in Abaco and Grand Bahama.

She also established a GoFundMe.com account: “Hurricane Dorian - The Bahamas needs your help.”

“This was the strongest hurricane ever recorded for The Bahamas. As expected, it left a path of destruction and devastation for thousands. Lives were lost, homes and property destroyed and the harmony of our communities disrupted.I know the Bahaminan Government along with International organisations will assist rebuilding in the upcoming days,” she stated in a social media post announcing her programme’s launch, “Due to my upbringing within the church , I realise the Church’s importance not only from a religious standpoint but also the social welfare it provides to our communities. So with this being said, I would like to contribute $25,000 to assist two Churches, one in Abaco and the other in Grand Bahama. We’re also hoping to buy food supplies for these churches that people from the affected areas will not only have a place of worship but also a place to find meals and/or supplies during these trying times.”

Miller-Uibo recently shattered the Bahamian national record, the Diamond League record and a personal best in running a world-leading time of 21.74 seconds to win the women’s 200m final at the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s Diamond League.

“We are a strong nation, our people are proud, loving and patriotic, however, now we are a nation in mourning. Communities have been left desolate, people have lost loved ones, many have lost their homes and many urgently require food, water and supplies. As a fellow Bahamian, it aches my heart to see any human being go through this tragedy,” she said, “I hope to raise as much as I can to help with the restoration of the hearts of our people and our beautiful landscape. Please help us rebuild, recover and relive as we once were.”

The Diamond League triumph was her last run before the upcoming World Championships in Doha, Qatar, September 27 to October 6 where she will only contest the 200m.

In winning her third straight and fourth title, Miller-Uibo’s time is now posted tied as the 11th fastest All-Time on the outdoor list with Great Britain’s Marlies Gohr in 1984; Silke Moller in 1987 and Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown in 2008. The list is headed by American Florence Griffith-Joyner with her world record-breaking time of 21.34 in 1988.

Miller-Uibo, 25, also lowered her national record of 21.88 that she established last year in winning the title at the same meet in the Stadium Letzigrund at the Weltklasse Zurich in Zurich, Switzerland. She also erased the Diamond League record of 21.77 that was set by American Tori Bowie in 2017 and surpassed the world-leading time of 22.00 posted by Jamaican Olympic champion Elaine Thompson on June 23 at the Jamaican Nationals in Kingston, Jamaica.

She earned a $50,000 payday for her performance and was the only Bahamian competing in this year’s Diamond League Final.

In the 400m, Miller-Uibo currently has the world-leading time of 49.05 she ran on April 27 in Gainesville, Florida.

In Doha, the heats for the women’s 400m is scheduled for Monday, September 30 with the semi-finals on Tuesday, October 1 and the final on Thursday, October 3.